


Heartbeat

by legomaster00156



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Male My Unit | Byleth, Post-Game, Short One Shot, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:21:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22431790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legomaster00156/pseuds/legomaster00156
Summary: Byleth struggles with a strange feeling after the Battle of Fhirdiad.
Kudos: 14





	Heartbeat

_Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum._

Byleth laid in a rapidly-formed infirmary tent. He was familiar with such tents, they were in every camp the army had set up for months. Nurses and healers attended to burns minor and severe on dozens of soldiers up and down the line of cots. Some had battle wounds, as well, but most merely suffered from the burns or mere heat exhaustion.  
The man knew something was wrong, but he couldn't place his finger on it. He groaned in pain as he rolled on the bed, trying to quell the irritating beating in his chest. Some kind of curse, maybe?

_Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum._

“Professor Eisner, are you alright?” Four Saints, where had he come from!?  
Byleth rolled out of the bed in fright, eliciting a chilling laugh from the man who had just sneaked up on him. As the professor pulled himself back up to his knees, leaning against the cot, he already knew who to expect. He looked up at the glossy black hair and dark clothes of the Minister of the Imperial Household, Marquis Hubert von Vestra. Despite the laughter, the former student looked genuinely concerned for his well-being.  
“Hubert, where are we?” the professor demanded.  
“A quarter-mile away from what remains of the city of Fhirdiad,” Hubert answered. “But I asked my question first. It is important to the Emperor.”  
“I'm fine, I think. Just a little sick. Maybe cursed,” Byleth replied.  
“Oh, a curse is exceedingly unlikely,” Hubert assured him. Byleth chose not to question how he came to that conclusion. “I shall have more water and medicine brought to you to quell any stomach sickness. Per the Emperor's orders, you are to have special attention paid to your condition. After all, you did die for a few seconds.”  
Hubert left without another word, leaving Byleth to take that in himself. He died? Again? Honestly, death was bad enough the first time! Then again, at least it was only for a short period this time, and not five years.

_Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum._

Byleth was laying in his cot a few hours later, and he could tell the sun was setting as non-critical cases were moved out and the medical staff changed shifts. Despite the stomach pills, the pain pills, and the healing magic, the aching, loud beating in his chest wouldn't cease. The nurses insisted they couldn't detect anything wrong, but there had to be something wrong.  
Some of his students had visited him over the hours, checking in to ensure that he was recovering well. He was touched by their compassion, and refrained from worrying them by speaking of his problems. What they did note, however, was the change of his hair color. With no mirrors besides the one Dorothea eventually brought, he hadn't had any way to know that his hair was blue again. Why would it be blue, though?  
As night fell, he finally seemed to realize exactly what had happened. Something between him and Rhea... there had to be a link. After all, the last thing he recalled of the battle was Rhea dying on the broken stones of Castle Fhirdiad. After that, he was here, in the infirmary. Did Rhea's death rob him of his connection to the goddess?  
Edelgard wasn't able to visit until late in the night. Byleth wasn't angry, though. She was a victorious Emperor, and there was undoubtedly much to attend to. That didn't stop her from rushing forward to give him a tight hug. He smiled softly as he wrapped his arms around her, forcing himself to sit up on the bed. Then, he felt it.

_Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum._

That wasn't him. That came from Edelgard's chest. Why would she have that same beating? Unless... unless it was normal... Wait. It was a heartbeat. He knew it. He had felt it hundreds of times in others, felt the absence of it on the bodies of the fallen. He had never experienced it himself, though...

_Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum._

“Teacher, are you alright?” Edelgard asked, pulling away after Byleth didn't speak for nearly a whole minute.  
“Oh... Oh, Edelgard. I'm sorry, I spaced out,” Byleth apologized quietly.  
He released the hug, and Edelgard, eyes full of concern, likely slowly parted from the hug. Her hand ran briefly over his chest as she let go and took a seat on an empty cot to his right. She looked sad, concerned, but eminently proud. She earned that, he thought.  
“So... what will Fodlan's future be?” he finally asked.  
“Tumultuous, I haven't a doubt,” Edelgard answered. “When you are ready – and not a moment sooner – can I count on you to help me in peace, as you did in war?”  
“Edelgard, I chose to walk this path with you, and it didn't end with the war. I will help you, whatever may come,” Byleth promised.  
“Thank you, my teacher,” Edelgard replied, a relieved sigh escaping her smiling lips.  
“Thank you, my dear student.”

_Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum._


End file.
